Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 18 Part 7

Lennoch remained silent, like a stone. Although he didn’t offer a clear reaction, Eleanor could tell that he was listening to her words.

“Let me ask you something.”

“……?”

“Did you love Edea?”

“No, absolutely not.”

The seemingly unmovable Lennoch suddenly raised his head, startled by the unexpected question. Seeing his surprise, Eleanor gazed at him warmly.

“Edea probably wasn’t interested in you either. She loved Jerata.”

“That’s right.”

“Yet Edea left Jerata and married you.”

Eleanor remembered the nanny’s words. Even after entering the palace, Edea had continued to meet Jerata, going as far as to pass off his child as the Emperor’s. It was clear that Edea had never intended to give up on her love. The nanny had been right: Edea wanted both power and love.

“Her death, as you said, was the result of someone’s scheme. Though it was an unjust death, it was also the path Edea chose herself.”

“……”

“She had been studying to become a professor at the academy. She was an intelligent woman. And the Delph family is known for producing many empresses throughout history.”

There was no way such a smart woman would have entered the palace without first seeking counsel from her family. During that time, she likely learned the necessary political tactics and familiarized herself with the atmosphere of the imperial court.

“Do you really think someone who went so far as to fake a pregnancy with you did so without serious thought?”

“……”

“I’m sure she prepared herself for whatever came her way.”

And most importantly,

“Her death wasn’t your fault.”

“……!”

“Edea, just like you, was a victim.” Eleanor spoke softly and calmly, “Why don’t we find the real culprit together?”

“What…?”

“I don’t like them either.”

The nanny who tormented Hail, the poisoner who killed Edea, Caroline, who was likely hiding even more secrets, and all the others.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we worked together?”

“It’s dangerous,” Lennoch said instinctively, realizing who Eleanor intended to pursue. What she was suggesting was far more perilous than confronting the Hartmann refugees.

He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. For the first time, he felt a sense of fear and unease creeping over him, which Eleanor immEdeately noticed.

“Lennoch,” she called his name softly.

Her hand reached out and touched his disheveled silver hair, brushing away the strands that had fallen out of place. Lennoch, who had been as rigid as a dry tree, felt his body relax at her touch.

“I know how much you’ve been through.”

“…Eleanor.”

“You couldn’t tell anyone, could you? You’ve carried all this pain by yourself, trying to solve everything alone.”

Lennoch couldn’t refute her words. He had indeed been trying to unravel the mystery of the Empress’s death on his own. Hail, too, had been his responsibility. Eleanor could sense the weight of the burdens Lennoch had silently borne, even without him explaining it in detail.

“You’ve been incredible. You even took in Hail, even though he isn’t your own child.”

“That’s true, but… I haven’t accepted him as my heir.”

What would the Marquis of Delph do with the child once he learned the truth? Hail’s blindness only added to the pity he evoked. So Lennoch decided to protect the boy by keeping him in Winston Palace with a small group of attendants until he was old enough to live independently. After all, Lennoch was the only one who knew the truth.

“It was just a momentary emotion. When I saw Hail, it reminded me of when I lost my own father…” Lennoch trailed off awkwardly, adding in a self-conscious tone.

“That’s just like me,” Eleanor interrupted.

“……?”

“You helped me when I had nowhere to go.”

Like Hail, Eleanor had also lost her family in Hartmann. While it wasn’t death that had taken them, it was still a betrayal of blood.

Shaking her head firmly, Eleanor spoke decisively, “You’ve saved so many people. How could you possibly call yourself powerless?”

“……”

“Besides, you just saved me again. If you hadn’t come, I might have been seriously hurt dealing with the nanny.”

She was genuinely grateful for his intervention. Hearing Eleanor’s sincere words, Lennoch’s previously stiff expression began to soften.

As his dark mood lightened, Eleanor smiled gently. “Don’t worry.”

There was no need for him to blame himself for being insufficient.

“You are more than capable of saving me if I’m ever in danger.”

“……!”

“That’s why I won’t ever die.”

Her tone was firm and resolute, and Lennoch looked at her with a dazed expression, as though she were glowing. His gaze, which had been fixed on her for what seemed like forever, finally dropped.

“Lennoch?”

Startled by his sudden movement, Eleanor leaned forward, but Lennoch pulled back, hiding his face. He didn’t want her to see him like this.

He let out a long breath, both filled with frustration and laced with emotions he could no longer suppress.

His face flushed completely red as he muttered softly, “This is why… I can never get away from you.”

***

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“……”

As Ernst prepared to return to his homeland, Tatar asked him with concern. Over the past few days, Ernst’s face had grown pale, his skin visibly dull.

Ernst ignored Tatar’s concern and mounted his horse. “Thank you for your hospitality. I’ll speak well of you to His Majesty when I return.”

“Th-thank you, Your Grace,” Tatar stammered, relieved by Ernst’s positive response. He inwardly sighed with relief at the diplomatic success.

‘The bracelet of Kaham must have worked.’

It was a rare item, even in Bahama, and worth more than any tribute. Though it had pained Tatar to offer such a valuable sacred object, it was far better than risking a diplomatic conflict. Smiling to himself, Tatar watched Ernst lead his cavalry quickly away from the camp.

“Your Grace, are you sure you’re alright?”

Raul, riding closely beside Ernst, called out anxiously. It was the first time he had ever seen his commander in such a weakened state.

“Did they poison you?”

“No,” Ernst replied curtly, his gaze fixed ahead.

Tatar wasn’t bold enough to attempt poisoning. He was a timid and cautious commander, hardly the type to resort to such tactics. It was puzzling why Bahama had sent someone like him to negotiate in the first place. Ernst found himself curious about the king’s intentions.

But his current state wasn’t due to poison.

“We’re moving without any rest. Keep up,” Ernst ordered.

“Yes, Your Grace!” the knights responded in unison, their voices strong.

Ernst leaned forward, focusing more on the ride.

‘What were those dreams about?’

Recently, he had been plagued by nightmares. Vivid ones.

Dreaming was an unfamiliar experience for him. During his youth, he had endured rigorous training, and as an adult, he had been too busy with his duties at the palace to dream. Sleep had always been a brief respite. But these dreams were different, and their content was disturbing.

‘…Eleanor.’

In the dream, Eleanor had been arrested by knights for the crime of killing Caroline. Count Verdik had been in charge of the interrogation, but the dream version of himself had paid little attention to it. Within just a week, everything had been decided, and Eleanor was led to the guillotine. Surprisingly, she had remained calm.

‘Why…?’

Ernst couldn’t understand why Lennoch had been weeping over her body. His eyes, bloodshot and filled with tears mixed with blood, had met Ernst’s in the dream, and it was only then that Ernst had awoken from the long nightmare.

“……”

What troubled Ernst even more than Lennoch’s tears was his own indifference in the dream. He had ordered her body to be thrown into the fields, where the crows would devour it, leaving no trace. At the time, it had seemed like the right decision. But after waking, the coldness of those words haunted him.

‘Is it because of the divorce?’

Was that the reason for these nightmares? He was surprised at how much the divorce was weighing on his mind. He knew now that he had to meet with Eleanor as soon as he returned.

Unable to hide his growing anxiety, Ernst hurried back home.

***

“It’s all over,” the nanny muttered bitterly from her cell.

If she had known it would end like this, she would have killed Hail when she had the chance. The overwhelming regret gnawed at her, but it was already too late.

Unable to contain her rage, she began picking up stones from the floor and throwing them. What started as one stone quickly became many, as she realized it was the only way to vent her rising emotions. The sound of the stones echoed throughout the dungeon like a heavy rain.

Suddenly, a man in a nearby cell shouted, “Hey, could you keep it down? We’re all criminals here!”

“…Is he crazy?”

The nanny recognized the voice as vaguely familiar, though she had never met the man. He’s Childe von Ezester, but she had no idea he was a fellow noble. Instead, his comment only fueled her defiance, and she picked up another stone, ready to throw it again.

Bang, bang.

“Quiet down!”

Finally, the guard came to the door, unable to tolerate the noise any longer. Through the small window in the door, his sharp gaze fixed on her. The nanny clicked her tongue in frustration, tossing the stone aside.

The guard, watching her closely, tossed something through the window—a small package of Earl Grey cookies.

After he left, the nanny quietly picked up the cookies. They looked just like the Earl Grey cookies that Sven used to bake at Winston Palace, but something was different.

Suspicious, the nanny broke one in half.

‘As I thought.’

Hidden inside the cookie was a tiny slip of paper, no bigger than her finger. Carefully unfolding it, the nanny squinted to read the minuscule handwriting.

“……!”

What?

“…This… this can’t be…”

Her hands trembled violently as she read the shocking message. It was beyond anything she had imagined. Doubting her own eyes, she read it again.

“This… What does this mean…?”

Though she was already sitting, it felt as if she were sinking further into the floor. Her mind nearly blanked out from the shock, but she managed to collect herself. Swallowing hard, she processed what the note was telling her.

If this was true…

Then…

“No, it can’t be.”

Desperately denying the reality, the nanny shook her head. But the cold chill running down her spine told her that this was the truth.

‘I need to confirm it for myself.’

Since the guard had secretly passed her the cookies, it meant that he knew her situation. To learn how he had found out, she would have to wait until he contacted her again. As for escaping, she trusted that he would make arrangements for her.

Regaining her composure, the nanny quickly gathered the cookies and the paper, shoving them into her mouth. It was customary to destroy the evidence by eating it whenever they exchanged secret messages. It was convenient for both of them. Chewing thoroughly, she swallowed the mixture of cookie and paper.

“Phew…”

But how did it come to this?

“Hrk—!”

Suddenly, the nanny grabbed her throat. She couldn’t breathe. It felt like a burning snake was writhing inside her stomach, and her eyes widened in terror.

Poison.

“Ugh, ugh…!”

Panicking, the nanny jammed her fingers into her mouth, trying to vomit up the cookies and the paper she had just swallowed. But it was no use; the pain in her stomach burned like fire.

She screamed in agony, “You… You tricked… tricked me…!”

If only she could claw everything out of her stomach. She scratched at the rough stone floor in desperation, her fingers bleeding as she tore at her own flesh without realizing it.

“Guh, guh…”

I can’t die.

I can’t die.

Her eyes rolled back, black tears of blood spilling from them. Soon, blood began pouring from every orifice of her body.

Her trembling hand reached out, as if grasping for someone who wasn’t there.

‘Hail… Hail is… Jerata’s ch—’

Her final scream never made it past her lips. It stayed in her throat, dying there along with her.